Half Of
by Vampirenote13
Summary: Destiny isn't the only one allowed a say in the flow of time: But will Danny be able to prevent a second horrific future? And while trying to help a new friend with more in common than he would think, will Danny be able to hold onto his own humanity? May up rating to M in future. No Phantom Planet
1. Prologue

First story I've uploaded in two years, hopefully I can do Danny Phantom and Cirque du Freak some justice with this story.  
Beta'd by my lovely friend Rebeca.

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**Prologue: Student of Time**

Red eyes watched the raven-haired boy, not betraying any emotion as the halfa crossed his arms, frowning. In contrast, the ice blue gaze of said halfa scanned back and forth across the clocks and gears of the lair, filled with slight worry. The observer couldn't help but chuckle at his young charge, form shifting from that of an elder to a young man, purple cloak shifting slightly to fit his shape. The blue-skinned ghost was aware that the boy was accustomed to being summoned in cases of dire emergencies, giving reason for the teenager to be wary.

"Clockwork," The boy licked his lips with a pause as he tried to form a question. "Why'd you bring me here?" he asked and looked around more, as if trying to locate something.

"It has nothing to do with Dan," Clockwork said, shooting down the worries he was sure troubled the teenager. "The reason I called you here is because I wanted to warn you of a different kind of threat to the timeline, a meddling being threatening the future of both worlds through the use of two boys, Daniel."

Daniel crinkled his nose—a very small part of his brain annoyed by usage of the name Daniel rather than his usual nickname Danny(though he was more okay with it coming from Clockwork than Vlad Masters)—and stared at the ghost. "But, if it doesn't have to do with me, why did you-" He was cut off by Clockwork's raised hand. Danny knew better than to ignore his mentor of sorts.

"Because, you will find yourself in a position to change the outcome for one of the boys. I have spoken to a friend in secret about taking this course in the timeline, and he has finally agreed to take this chance, with your consent," Clockwork explained, form shifting once again to that of a child. "It took a great deal of talking to sway Hibernius from his position of true neutrality, so I would recommend taking it. It is a chance to change the hostile coming future." The only thing betraying said form was the knowing smile and the eyes, too ancient to fit the age his body was currently portraying.

Danny slowly nodded, a look of contemplation on his face. "How soon?" He asked, knowing that Clockwork probably already knew the full question.

How soon would this horrible future Clockwork spoke of creep up on them?

Clockwork turned away to face a viewing screen, willing a scene of the dark future to display itself. The earth looked hellish, bodied littered below a dark figure riding a dragon with brilliant bright eyes, clearly not a ghost like dragons Danny had previously met, was shown. There didn't seem to be a spot of ground unpainted with the deep crimson color that couldn't be mistaken for anything else but blood, seeping into cracks scarring the uninhabitable landscape. Danny's sharp inhale didn't go by undetected. It was worse than the glimpse the boy had seen of the future that Dan had caused in a mere few years, without his humanity to prevent him for wreaking havoc on the world. Who in all of the worlds could be worse than Dan Phantom?

"It will be more than thirty years to get to the decisive point in time that could be considered the true 'birth' of this man," The Master of Time informed, pointing at the figure with the clock affixed to his staff. "But you may be able to shift the path of time into a more desirable future. It only depends on your choice, of course."

The look Clockwork received told him what they both already knew: Danny would never let a future like that exist, if he could fix it.

He had already changed the future before, after all.

A moment of silence passed between the two, before Danny took a deep breath. He gave Clockwork a grim smile. "So when did you get this involved with the timeline, Clockwork? This feels a little more drastic than showing a guy a possible future to show him a lesson… Aren't you technically meddling directly now?" Black hair fell over his face as he looked down to his feet, remembering how he'd almost lost everything.

"Even one as powerful as myself has enemies, Daniel," Clockwork gave a smirk as the image of the future disappeared from his screen. "Desmond Tiny holds no respect for time or_ my_ work, so why should I respect _him_ or his wishes?"

"Alright then, so what am I supposed to do to wreck his day?" Eyes dangerously flashed green as the corners of Danny's mouth turned up into a grin that almost split his face. His fist and palm met for emphasis.


	2. Chapter 1

Beta'd by Hoshiko13

Just to explain, since I didn't last chapter: This takes place after book 2, before book 3. I'm currently not in possession of most of the Darren Shan Saga books, so bare with me and feel free to correct me on ANY details I miss in future chapters.

Now, let's cut the author talking, more story. \:

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**Chapter 1: Unease**

Darren was wide awake as he peered through the dark of the tent he was currently residing in, legs dangling off the side of his hammock as he trained his attention on Evra, the sleeping snake-boy. Most of their possessions were packed away in the corner since the Cirque would continue moving in the morning.

He could make out a bit of the greenish-blonde hair covering his friend's head in the lighting, and his sensitive ears could pick up on the soft snores. He held back a snort at the thought of a snoring 'snake'. He made a mental note to tease Evra about it later.

At the moment, the half vampire couldn't stop thinking about where they were headed. When Mr. Tall had named their next location, there was talk amongst the Cirque's cast, about how that town was haunted.

Rumors quickly spread: A newer stage hand had heard that a strange ghost child with snow white hair and glowing green eyes was acting as a superhero and protected the citizens, a girl with a horn growing from her forehead pointed out how the town didn't take kindly to circus folk after an incident with one of the traveling circus' competition: The rumors quickly flew like that little kid Jekkus' knives.

If someone had brought up ghosts to Darren before the Cirque, he would have laughed and shaken his head, shooting down the thought. "Ghosts," a younger Shan would have said, "Aren't real. I'd rather be scared of the living than the dead."

But now Darren was among the ranks of the undead, a half vampire. If vampires, wolf-men, snake boys, and a variety of other freaks existed, what was stopping the existence of ghosts?

The sound of someone entering the tent broke Darren from his train of thought, the young boy startled out of his makeshift bed, face meeting the floor.

"I would think you might want to feed before we reach a more populated area," The intruder, an older man with a spot of bright orange red hair and red robes, spoke up. He was scratching lightly on the scar running down his cheek vertically as Darren sat up.

The boy rubbed his face, deciding nothing was broken as he replied, "That's fine, Mr. Crepsley…"

Now that he thought about it, Darren did feel thirsty.

**(Divide here)**

"-nny, wake up. Danny, Lancer's coming." Shaking accompanied the words as Danny woke up to purple eyes giving him a worried look.

He jumped up quickly, eyes wide as he looked around. It took him a moment to remember they were in English, and a moment too late to meet the eyes of the overweight teacher looking down at him with an angry expression. "Mister Fenton, miss Manson," Mr. Lancer started, and Danny swore he could see steam coming off of the teacher. "Would either of you care to explain the two of you talking in the middle of the reading of The Scarlet Letter? I understand neither of you care for classic literature, but it would be wise to at least _pretend_ to have an ounce of interest. Detention, both of you."

Danny groaned, burying his face into his desk as Sam Manson, one of his two best- One of his_ only_ friends, pat him on the back. "It's alright Danny, it's not like this is your first detention." The goth gave him a small smile.

He looked up to her, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, but I got you in trouble now. If I had held off falling asleep until Math, this wouldn't have happened."

"You were up fighting ghosts last night, it's fine." The girl waved off, purple lips shifting into a frown. "So anything new on what Clockwork told you?"

The halfa shook his head, shrugging. "No. He told me that I would be leaving Amity, which has me worried about the ghost attacks and Vlad," He spat the name, obviously not a fan of the mayor. "I mean, what if Plasmius tries to kill Dad while I'm gone? Clockwork said I was free to check up on town whenever I want to and said he would warn me if anything was going to come up, but it still doesn't feel right…"

"Hero complex." His other friend with darker skin and a red beret, Tucker, coughed with an amused expression.

Danny glared at Tucker, knowing the techno geek was aware that word always annoyed him when it was associated with him. "Danny _Phantom_ does not have a hero complex," He growled, gritting his teeth.

"Wow Danny, chill. I was kidding." Tucker raised his hands in defense, chuckling nervously. Danny wouldn't hit a guy with glasses, right?

The ghost boy's expression calmed down as he sat back. "I don't have a hero complex." He grumbled to himself quietly, if only to convince himself.

**(Divide here)**

By late noon, the circus had arrived and Darren was out in town to help hand out flyers, dressed in a hooded robe. A little person he had nicknamed Lefty had accompanied him. His current location was at the side of a food establishment called the Nasty Burger, a name choice that Darren found hilarious. Of all the names they could have picked, Nasty Burger didn't sound appetizing.

But he didn't complain, since teenagers and young adults were all gathered around, some occasionally taking a flyer. What Darren hadn't expected was a girl dressed the way he had assumed vampires might, with her black hair, purple lips and eyes (Contacts? Darren could only wonder.) and dark clothes. She walked up to him with a soured expression as she snatched a flyer from him. She was clearly enraged when she had finished reading, turning a glare on the robed boy.

Darren flinched as she jabbed a finger to his chest. "Hey wise-guy, I swear if any innocent people or ghosts are being harmed, caged, or controlled at this thing, I'll-"

"Woah, woah, the Cirque isn't anything like that." Darren protested. "The Cirque is our home, nobody's there against their will. We don't fit in anywhere else. Go to the show and see for yourself before you decide anything about the treatment we get." He felt uncomfortable, remembering R.V. and how he'd wanted to save the freaks. Maybe he shouldn't have told her that.

The vampire-like girl's expression softened slightly as she gave Darren room. "I… I'm sorry society doesn't accept you guys, then. You're all unique and should be respected as the individuals you are- Why can't they understand that and accept us for who we are?!"

One of her eyes started twitching, and Darren had to wonder if she was still talking about just the freaks. He decided to break the awkward silence. "Well, anyways, the Cirque du Freak is a little hard core, but you feel like someone who could handle it-"

"Sam, over here!"

Darren watched as two boys walked up to the girl he had been talking to. He blinked, watching as the dark-haired boy with blue eyes who had called for Sam gasped slightly, looking confused for a moment before his expression turned neutral. Something felt off about him to the half vampire, but he shrugged the feeling off as he offered the boy a flyer.

"No thanks, I've had bad experiences with circuses…"

"Danny," Sam frowned. "I was just thinking about going, are you sure you don't want to come? I mean, it can't be as bad as the Freak Show incident."

Danny had stopped looking back and forth nervously, rolling his eyes. "That's what you said about Circus Gothica."

"You know, he's got you there, Sam." The other boy chimed in.

"Shut up, Tucker. I bet you'd go see this circus even if poor, defenseless people were having their rights stripped to entertain the masses, all because they are different." Sam huffed.

Darren stayed quiet as Sam and Tucker got into a heated debate. Danny smacked his face with his palm. "Dude, I'm sorry. They're not always like this, I swear. Survey says they'll be at this for a while, though…"

Darren nodded, hood bobbing up and down with him. "It's alright," He chuckled. "I'm used to this…" the boy trailed off, a small pang in his chest as he recalled how he and his childhood friends used to argue all the time. Sometimes, it would be over the silliest topics, like socks.

He shook his head of the memories to avoid dwelling on Steve. It was in the past now, and Steve was no longer his best friend.

The boy blinked, realizing that the teens had already gone inside to get food, the goth and the geek clearly arguing with each other even as they found a table. The raven-haired boy was nowhere to be seen.

He wondered if he would regret giving them that flyer. Lefty tugged on Darren's cloak, silently reminding the half vampire that they still had more flyers to give out.


	3. Chapter 2

Beta'd by Hoshiko13

So I wrote this chapter once, decided it was too cheesy, rewrote it, and this was the result. I'll be posting the 'original' as a one-shot alternate for this chapter.

Also, I'd like to take this time to thank everyone who's reviewed/followed the story so far. You don't know how happy it makes me feel when I get an alert. Not naming anyone, because that would be favoritism, and I like you all equally. :P

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**Chapter 2: How to Make Friends**

Darren mentally kicked himself for not feeding when Crepsley had forewarned him to. He hadn't been planning on starving himself, but the half vampire had been so sure he could wait until after they left to hunt. Evra finally had to smack his back, telling him to get a drink before the show. "You've been eying everyone like food, Darren. Go get something before we find you attached to one of little people," The snake boy had joked then.

He couldn't help it any longer, like Evra had said, as he stalked a park and hid in the bushes, his hood hiding the upper half of his face in its shadow. It was a creepy coincidence that the Cirque had taken up the grounds that the supposed 'Circus Gothica' had taken place earlier, but it hadn't deterred anyone from taking fliers.

But now, wasn't anyone around, which surprised Darren until he remembered that this town was supposedly the most haunted town in America.

_'Of course no one in their right mind would be out here alone at night', _Darren frowned. He strained his ears despite his disappearing hope and was rewarded with a heartbeat approaching. _Thud, thud, thud-_

Darren already was formulating an ambush of the human, hoping to knock them out the old fashion way (Since he wasn't a full vampire and couldn't just knock them out with his breath like his mentor). As long as he kept his strength to a minimum, the human would only wake up with a headache and nothing more.

With the simple plan in mind, Darren subconsciously closed his eyes, focusing. When his target was in range, the boy leapt at them, swiftly backhanding them.

She, as Darren soon realized, passed out under him, her weird green earpiece making echoing a voice the half vampire almost didn't pick up.

"-meet up with you soon."

Darren raised an eyebrow at the odd technology, though decided that maybe whoever was on the other line would take a while to find them: Enough time to finish his 'meal'.

The boy fixed his position so he was beside her on his knees, grabbing the girl's wrist softly. He idly took note of her hair, a shade not unlike Crepsley's, and chuckled to himself at the thought of her being Crepsley's daughter. Vampires were sterile, but it was still an entertaining thought of watching Crepsley bend over backwards and chasing away boys from this girl.

Darren ran a nail over her skin, slicing deep enough only to drink, and brought the cut to his mouth.

He was almost finished when something green flashed, hitting his chest and sending him flying back. The half vampire looked up to see a boy with white hair behind over the redhead protectively, radioactive green eyes glaring at him with an intense glow.

_'Phantom', _His mind recalled the name that had been a popular topic at the Cirque. This was wrong. The only heartbeat Darren could hear was the girl's and his own. The other boy should be dead. It didn't help said boy was glowing softly,_ inhumanly. _

"What _are _you?" Both boys asked at the same time.

"What the hell did you do to my si- Jazz?" Phantom growled.

"I only knocked her out, what the hell did you blast me with? That hurt." Darren retorted, taking a defensive position. He wasn't a fighter, but he prayed his vampire strength would be enough to balance things out.

"Ghost ray. And ew, " Phantom's eyes widen when he realized there was blood on both Darren's lips and Jazz's wrist, the later already drying. "Were you like, drinking her blood? Dude, not even Vlad does that, and he could pass for a vampire-"

Danny shut up at Darren's clenching fists and shaking form. Had he really hit a nerve? "… What? You don't really think- You aren't-" The ghost boy started laughing nervously. "Good one, vampires don't really exist. Maybe vampire ghosts, but vampires? Hahaha-"

Phantom stopped laughing when a fist met his face, a nice crunching noise filling the air. He was thrown back into a fountain, water splashing everywhere and flattening his hair. His eyes glowed harshly as he got back up, green ectoplasm dripping from his nose. It might have been broken, but he as he pushed it back in place he could feel it begin to heal, tissues connecting easily.

"I'll give you one, that actually hurt me more than Skulker's punches. But you'll have to do better than punching me to win," Phantom flew at the hooded figure, energy gathered in his fists as he attempted to give his enemy a matching blow. Darren was faster than he'd expected, dodging enough that only his hood was caught in the action.

It ripped, revealing green-blue eyes and a childish face. Phantom froze midair, staring. He didn't realize he was fighting a kid, or that a kid could hit like a truck.

"Look," The half vampire started, sensing Phantom's hesitation. "I don't want to fight you. I just needed a little bit of blood, vampires don't kill those they drink from. I'm sorry it looked like I was trying to hurt her, I wasn't…"

The white-haired teenager slowly descended, touching the ground with white boots. He wiped his nose clean with the back of one of his matching gloves before stepping forward. "So…" He rubbed his neck, now smiling sheepishly. "You're not a bad guy?"

Darren nodded quickly, relieved he wouldn't have to keep fighting.

"… And she's not going to turn into a vampire?" Phantom pressed, looking worried.

Darren shook his head, internally snickering. He remembered when he was that ignorant. "No, that's not how it works."

Phantom let out a sign of relief. "Good, I don't need to wake up in the middle of the night to find myself being chewed on…" He shuddered slightly, imagining Jazz with enlarged canines and blood-red eyes.

Darren laughed at that. "No offense, but that green stuff you're bleeding doesn't smell appetizing." And that was true, the half vampire was reminded of the smell of decay. Not a pleasant smell at all, although under it was a familiar scent, something Darren couldn't pinpoint an identity to.

Phantom's face tinted green, (He's blushing, Darren noted) before his attention was back on the redhead- Jazz he had called her, Darren reminded himself- who the ghost picked up bridal style. "I better take her home. Ou- Her parents will freak if she's not home soon, kid."

"Darren. Darren Shan." Darren wasn't fond of being called a kid, even though he was one.

"Darren," Phantom nodded, grinning slightly. "I'm Danny Phantom. Not Inviso-Bill or whatever some of the fruitloops around here might tell you. Anyways, I got to get going. You should do the same."

Darren was confused on why someone might mistake Phantom for that, since the D symbol with a smaller P was plainly visible on the ghost boy's chest, though he got his answer when both the ghost and the redhead disappeared from sight.

_'Wow, great going Shan. First vampires, now you've attracted a ghost's attention..' _Darren sighed as he rubbed his burnt chest gingerly, turning to head back to where the Cirque was camped. Crepsley would be pissed at him for getting hurt.

**(break here)**

Danny was thinking as he flew Jazz home, the redhead breathing deeply in her sleep. Clockwork had told him earlier that he would know it was close to the time to leave Amity when his ghost sense went off without the normal breath of cold air escaping his mouth.

That had happened earlier at the Nasty Burger, when he'd walked up to those two in cloaks. He hadn't caught either's face, though he had a feeling that Clockwork wanted him to go to this 'Cirque du Freak'. The vampire he had just met, Darren, was wearing the same cloak as those two...

Sam had bought tickets already for them. Tucker wouldn't be coming, due to his family planning on visit a relative, leaving him gone the date on the flier. Danny had a suspicion that his best friend was relieved not to be joining them, after reading on the flier about the snake boy. Tucker was terrified of snakes.

His train of thought turned back to the imminent leaving of Amity Park.

_'Breathe, Phantom, breathe,' _Danny chanted mentally, sure he was close to hyperventilating. It was too sudden. Yes, Clockwork had forewarned him, but it felt too soon to be leaving his home._ 'Okay, whatever happens, happens. Clockwork said this was the best way to go about it. You can still visit home any time. It's not permanent, Danny. At least Sam will be there to see you off, right?- Oh crap, I forgot to tell Sam about the weird sense I had back there!'_

The halfa groaned. Sam was going to make a full ghost out of him when she realized he was running away with a circus. Again. Because Clockwork indirectly told him to. _And_ he might have to deal with vampires if he went.

_'Forget Skulker's pelt threats, whatever she'll have planned for me makes me want to lay by his fireplace without a fight. Ew. And when Jazz takes her side, hell will freeze over- And it won't be my ice powers fault.'_

Maybe he could convince the vampire to knock them out before he left.

...

Nah.


End file.
